New Delhi: The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 has released its latest rankings, confirming the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) as the undisputed leaders in higher education.

IIT Madras continues to hold the top position for the sixth consecutive year, followed closely by IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay.

Panjab University in Chandigarh has also performed commendably, ranking 44th overall. It continues to be a prominent institution known for its research and academic excellence.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the significance of these rankings in promoting excellence and global competitiveness among Indian institutions.

“The NIRF rankings provide a benchmark that motivates institutions to achieve higher standards of education and research,” Pradhan said.

These rankings are instrumental for students in making informed decisions about their higher education choices and encourage institutions to strive for continuous improvement.

This document outlines the rankings of higher education institutions (HEIs) across various categories and subjects in India, as well as the introduction of new categories like State Public Universities, Open Universities, and Skill.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Unveils India Rankings 2024, Emphasizes Employability Skills

The rankings, which are based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), highlighted the performance of the country’s Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) across various categories and subject domains.

IIT Madras Dominates Overall Rankings

For the sixth consecutive year, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras retained its top position in the Overall category, reaffirming its status as the premier educational institution in the country.

The institute also continued its unbroken streak as the top-ranked engineering institution, a position it has held since the inception of the rankings in 2016.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru continued its reign as the best university in India, maintaining its top spot in the Universities category for the ninth consecutive year.

IISc also secured the first position in the Research Institutions category for the fourth year in a row.

Expansion of India Rankings Portfolio

One of the key highlights of this year’s rankings was the expansion of the India Rankings portfolio.

For the first time, State Public Universities, Open Universities, and Skill Universities were included in the rankings, bringing the total number of categories to 16.

This expansion reflects the Ministry’s commitment to inclusivity and the recognition of diverse educational pathways in the Indian education system.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized that all 58,000 HEIs in the country should be included in the ranking and rating framework, underscoring the importance of transparency and accountability in higher education. "Knowing the quality, performance, and strengths of an academic institution is a right of students and parents," he stated.

Employability and Skills Take Center Stage

A notable shift in this year’s rankings was the increased focus on employability and skills as key parameters. Shri Pradhan stressed that the ranking mechanism must evolve to include skilling as a critical factor, aligning with the broader goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. "Employability and skills are a priority. We should devise mechanisms to bring intangible aspects of education into the rankings framework," he added.

Detailed Ranking Parameters

The NIRF, launched in November 2015, continues to serve as the foundation for the India Rankings. The framework evaluates institutions based on five broad categories: Teaching, Learning & Resources (30%), Research and Professional Practice (30%), Graduation Outcome (20%), Outreach and Inclusivity (10%), and Perception (10%). These parameters are further broken down into 18 specific metrics, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the institutions.

This year, 6,517 unique institutions participated in the rankings, submitting a total of 10,845 applications across various categories and domains.

The significant increase in participation from previous years highlights the growing recognition of the rankings as a fair and transparent exercise in the higher education sector.

Top Performers Across Categories

In addition to the dominance of IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru, other institutions also made notable achievements. Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad topped the Management category for the fifth consecutive year, while All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi continued to lead in the Medical category for the seventh year in a row.

Hindu College, Delhi, claimed the top spot among colleges, replacing Miranda House, which had held the position for seven consecutive years.

The newly introduced State Public Universities category was topped by Anna University, Chennai, while Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi, led the rankings for Open Universities.

Symbiosis Skill and Professional University (SSPU), Pune, emerged as the top institution in the Skill Universities category.

Looking Ahead

Shri Pradhan concluded his address by urging academic institutions to set ambitious goals and strive for higher rankings in future editions.

He called on the leaders of Indian academia to foster an environment of educational excellence, aligned with the nation’s goal of achieving a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India).

As the rankings continue to expand and evolve, they are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of higher education in India.